


Things We Said Today

by Mauve_Varden



Category: The Beatles, The Beatles (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Marriage, Married Life, Mild Sexual Content, Unplanned Pregnancy, and I just had to tag Martha
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-07-04 03:15:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15832638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mauve_Varden/pseuds/Mauve_Varden
Summary: In 1968 Paul McCartney and Jane Asher were on the verge of breaking up, but when Jane unexpectedly falls pregnant, they decide to get married. This is the story of the marriage that never happened between Jane and Paul.





	1. 12 July 1968

12 July 1968 -

Jane stared down, in mounting horror, at the swirling contents of her stomach making its way down the drain. She gently manipulated her large emerald engagement ring between her thumb and forefinger, before slowly looking down at the small, but just notable protrusion between her hips, only visible because she was in her underwear.

'God!' Jane groaned, as she gently rested her head on the wall next to the toilet, 'what in heavens am I going to do?'

At first she hadn't wanted to accept it, but the simple fact was that not only was this the second period she'd missed, but she had been throwing up every morning for the last week, and after not eating anything yesterday, she could no longer blame it on food poisoning.

She didn't know what to do, here she was in Bristol on an acting assignment no less which she couldn't just up and leave for a baby - a career she'd worked so hard to achieve, through years of toil, and being told she could only be famous for one thing, being Paul McCartney's bed mate - while Paul was in London, doing, _stuff_. Yes she and Paul were engaged, but they hadn't actually begun planning the wedding, they had both been so busy, and she'd convinced herself that there would be time for that later, once she'd finished in Bristol, and Paul had completed this album - then they could plan - much to her mother's chagrin. She could hear her now, 5 years of dating, 2 years of living together and for what?

Yes, she loved Paul, but there was - and had been for a little time - the niggling feeling that their relationship was petering out, she hadn't yet admitted to herself. They _had_ grown closer in India, and she reminded herself of the love and joy she felt during his brother's wedding.

Finally, after a few more minutes of contemplation, Jane picked herself up off the floor, clutching her belly as she did so, before realising what she was doing and quickly moving her hand.

'You need to pull yourself together Jane,' she told herself, she often talked to herself, it was a reassuring habit she had picked up in childhood, when she used to repeat the lines of her characters whenever she was upset. 'You and Paul were going to get married at some point anyway, now you'll just need to - to hurry it along.'

She nodded her head briskly and made her way into her poky hotel room, quickly dressing and smoothing out her neat white coat. She had made up her mind, she went over her plan as she quietly packed up all of her possessions into a large black case. She would inform the manager of the Old Vic that a family emergency had called her back to London (she wasn't technically lying, and she was in no mood to notify anyone as to her current state, she had always been, and remained, an extremely private person), she would buy a one way ticket from Temple Meads to Paddington, then catch a cab back to Cavendish Avenue.

She attempted to haul her case off of the stand it was on, she finally managed to ease it off, but as it came down it hit the edge of her hip, her eyes widened and she her hands immediately shot down to her cradle her barely visible belly - causing the case to drop rather painfully on to her feet. It was strange, she decided while smiling ruefully to herself, only 10 minutes of knowing about the baby's existence - and half of that time spent panicking - and she already felt attached. She made her way over to the rotary dial phone and called down to reception to send someone up to take her bag down to the lobby - a pregnant lady shouldn't really be doing heavy lifting anyway.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul stretched out as he lay in bed, turning away from the woman lying next to him. He still didn't quite know why he had started this relationship - if you could even call it that - with her. He supposed it was his self-destruction habit beginning again, Jane had left to do a play in Bristol - yet again - he had felt lonely - yet again - and a part of him didn't want to continue this cycle. As much as he couldn't admit it to himself. Five years of their relationship, and they didn't seem any closer to settling down, sure they were _technically_ engaged, but what did that mean in the grand scheme of things? Paul was beginning to get sick of it, Jane didn't seem any closer to wanting to start a family, certainly not the way he wanted it, but their relationship had become comfortable. How do you end a five year relationship? He certainly didn't want to _hurt_ her, he just wanted, _something_ , something intangible.

He groaned, it was 11 o'clock and he was no closer to getting up, here he was pondering the greater meanings of his relationships and he hadn't even had breakfast yet, _maybe I should call Linda_. It certainly seemed an appealing option, or a-.

Then he heard it. The gates to the house squeaking open, since Jane'd left and he started up with Francie he hadn't bothered to oil them, or even really open them that much, and the definite sound of a car tumbling up the short drive. The crash of a door, and through the open window he could make out a deep voice, 'That'll be 2 bob and tuppence love.' And a woman's voice replied, crisp and high, Jane's voice. **SHIT.**

He bolted out of bed, grabbing the duvet with him, and in the process managed to dislodge a naked Francie from the bed and send her tumbling to the floor.

'Ow, that fucking hurt you dickhead.' Francie swore as she rubbed her head.

'NO TIME, no fucking time Franny.'

'What.' The still slightly dazed Francie replied, as a naked Paul ran around the room collecting her clothes, before shoving them unceremoniously into her face.

'Get changed, you need to get changed, NOW.' Paul ordered, a look of extreme panic on his face. 'Jane's here, you need to leave, hurry up.'

Still slightly groggy from sleep Francie did as she was told and slipped into her clothes. As she pulled her socks on they both heard the front door open and then slam.

'Where are my shoes?' Francie asked, as Paul quickly but gently began shoving her into the en-suite.

'They must be downstairs, look I'll get 'em to yeh later, those I can explain, _this_ I can't. Now hurry up for Christ's sake! And keep yeh voice down.'

Francie stopped still at the entrance to the bathroom, 'Where are you putting me Paul, what're you doing.'

'Look just get into the bathroom, you can climb out've the bathroom window, there's a large pipe you can climb down, then vault over the fence. Quickly!'

'You want me to do what? Climb out of a fucking first floor window? Are you mad?'

'Shhh, for God's sake keep yeh voice down. There's a big bush at the bottom to cushion your fall now come on.'

From downstairs they both heard a woman call out Paul's name. Francie at last acquiesced and Paul made quick work of opening the window, and was helping her out when he noticed something.

'Christ, you've forgotten your fucking headband.' Paul vaulted into the bedroom as steps were heard on the stairs and quickly grabbed it before going back into the bathroom, locking the door, and shoving it at Francie.

With Paul's help she got fully out of the window when the bedroom door opened and Jane's voice rang out.

'Paul, are you in here? We need to talk.'

Paul sighed in relief as he watched Francie's frame disappear into the camellia bush, and then dart round to the front of the house.

'Yeah love, I'm just on the loo, I'll be out in a second.' Paul made a big deal out of flushing the toilet, and washing his hands, before unlocking the door and nearly running into a rather nervous looking Jane.

He shot his hands out to Jane's shoulders to catch himself, and gently removed his foot from hers. She was standing right in the doorway, and looking rather scatty, Paul immediately became anxious that she might have uncovered his rouse, but - ever the performer - he schooled his expression into one of happy surprise.

'Imagine seeing you here!' Paul smiled, rubbing her shoulders before carefully making his way past her to put some boxers on.

'Why are you naked Paul?' Jane said in a shrill voice.

With his back turned to her he made a quick scan of the room to make sure nothing had been left behind before answering, 'I've just got up and had a shower haven't I love.'

'Oh, of course how silly of me.'

Paul turned around, Jane looked unsettled, although she was trying hard to hide it. She opened her mouth to speak, before closing it again, and then finally with a decisive look began to speak,

'Look Paul, I don't know how to say this. B-but I - I'm pregnant.'

Paul sat on the still unmade bed, eyes wide, mouth hanging open, for several moments, before speaking. 'Ar- are you sure?'

She pursed her lips, stopping herself from saying that she wouldn't have come home early from Bristol and told him if she hadn't been sure, but it was obvious that he was in shock, so she simply replied 'Yes, I'm sure.'

'But- but we'd been so careful.' Paul placed his head in his hands and crouched down low, not fully able to process the information, he'd gone from trying to rush out his last bird, to being told he was going to be a father. Well, he thought ruefully this was certainly the something he'd been after before.

'Accidents happen Paul, and-. Well I'd only stopped the pill for a couple of days when we- I thought it wouldn't happen but it has.'

'And you're sure it's - well.' The unsaid words of mine hung in the air.

Jane's back straightened, and more than a little annoyed she replied, 'Of course it's yours Paul, how dare you insinuate-.'

Paul quickly got up to the bed and interrupted her, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's just a lot to handle, in one go. Well, I suppose this means we're going to have to get married.'

Jane's face broke, and she started crying, all her carefully contained emotions poured out from her. This is not at all how she'd planned it to go, this was all wrong.

'Hey,' Paul grabbed her arm, and pulled her into a hug, softly running his hands through her hair, as she nuzzled into his chest, 'hey, we'll make it work. I promise. We can do it together, for our little one, yeah. Shh, love, it's going to be all right.'

He gently rocked her as she cried, for several more minutes, until she got all of her emotion out, at the thought of being a mother, what it would mean for her career, _their life together_ , and God how she was going to tell her parents.

She lifted her head and extracted herself from his arms, he tenderly wiped the tears away from her freckled face.

'What are we going to do?' Jane asked, looking up into his face for answers, her doubts slowly fading away as she looked at his face. She could see from having known him for so long that he was beginning to get truly happy - this is what he had always wanted, always begged from her. _Let's start a family, let's settle down, just us, together against the world._

'Well,' he smiled, and gave the tip of her nose a kiss, 'first we're going to have to tell our parents. Then I'll get a licence, you're going to have to choose a dress, I'll dust off one of my old morning jackets, and we'll get married. It shouldn't take more than a couple of weeks or so, then we'll truly by together, and have everything we've wanted.'

She smiled, 'I'm going to need to unpack first.'

'I'll help you, and I haven't had breakfast yet.'

'Hmm, neither have I, how about we make it together.'

'That sounds perfect.'


	2. 27th July 1968

27th July 1968

So. Today was the day. Today, she was getting married. She ran her hands over the reason she was getting married so quickly, she could have sworn – although it had only been two weeks – it, the baby that is, had grown. She had been nervous about that at first, pressing at the forefront of her mind was the idea that people might know, people might guess. Sure most of the Beatles fans had eventually come around to her, but she didn't like the idea of people speculating as to the reason – or insinuating it was the only reason – they were getting married. But Paul had been so excited, so very excited, every time the bump had seemed to grow, she remembered the countless times in the last couple of weeks, he had felt the growing baby, a look of wonder on his face, saying that's ours Jane. Our baby, that we made, can you believe it!

She still couldn't quite believe it, although two weeks had deadened the shock somewhat, and she was beginning to actually become excited for the little thing growing inside of her, Paul's happiness was certainly infectious. Of course the slight fear had come creeping in, she had had to cancel 3 acting jobs - 2 stage jobs and a tv role - Paul had been delighted of course. Although they hadn't discussed it – in fact unusually for them they hadn't had any arguments over the last two weeks, they had both been far too busy for them – and she was becoming concerned that Paul thought that she was willing to give up acting completely, which she certainly didn't want to do. Ever practical she was aware that not only was she not well enough at the moment to act, she also didn't particularly want to, not while pregnant, and probably not while the baby was young, but she was getting ahead of herself.

Clare, who had agreed to be her bridesmaid on remarkably short notice, helped her get dressed. She slipped on a white, above the knee dress that Pattie had helped her pick out, and brushed her long hair out until it shone like fire, while Clare applied her make up. 

Pattie had been remarkably helpful, and excited when Jane quietly informed her that she and Paul were getting married, and that she was pregnant, out of all the Beatles girls – or wives now – she had always been closest to Pattie. Both being career women, privately educated, and having come after at least some of the initial fame, they'd been sort of bunched together, especially by the press. 

She had initially wanted to invite Cynthia – not that they had ever been particularly close, Cynthia was almost 7 years older than her, and far more interested in being a housewife – but she felt a camaraderie with her, and she'd never been particularly close to John, and in the back of her mind had been that if she invited Cynthia, John wouldn't come, and John would inevitably bring Yoko, who she didn't want to have to deal with. However John was coming and Cynthia was not and she was just going to have to deal with it. 

'Are you ready?' Clare asked, 'you look beautiful Jane.' She gave her a reassuring rub of the shoulders.

Jane smiled serenely back at her – it was her wedding day she was allowed to be happy – but it all felt rather like a dream, a wonderful dream, but a dream none the less. She had drifted through the past two weeks arranging flowers, informing the family and friends that needed to know, and hoping that they would have the time free to attend, and making preliminary searches for baby clothes, as well as for some looser dresses – consequently it still didn't feel real, that she was having to keep it such a secret from those not in the know didn't help. 

'Yes I'm ready, let's go and get married.' She said, giving Clare a quick, reassuring smile, before making her way out of her bedroom – her cramped, childhood bedroom – to the bottom of the stairs where she knew her father would be waiting, it was strange to think that this would be the last time she would be in her room, and childhood home as an Asher. Soon she would become Jane McCartney, a thought that thrilled her and scared her in equal measure. 

'You look-' her father gulped, trying and failing to hold back his emotion, 'a vision, Jane.' As she reached the bottom of the stairs he gave her a watery smile, 'it seems like only yesterday you were a little girl I was teaching to read, and now here you are getting married. Give us a twirl darling.'

Jane laughed as she acquiesced, her father had been the most supportive member of her family about the whole affair, she supposed being a Doctor made him quite matter-of-fact about these sort of things.

At this moment Jane's mother rushed in, adjusting her rather large hat, with a frazzled expression on her face, 'Right, chop chop, let's look lively everyone, we haven't got much time before we're at the ch- registry office, that is.' 

She began vaguely herding the members of her family to the door, before Peter, who had been leaning against the front door piped up.

'Before you go out Jane you should know, uh, there's quite a crowd out there.' He nodded towards the door.

'What?!' Jane screeched, remembering the horrid days of Beatlemania, when she had been jostled, and crushed and called all sorts of names.

'It seems someone informed the press.' Peter said sardonically.

'Who-'

'That doesn't matter now dear,' Jane's mother said, shooting a quick glare at Peter, 'what matters is you're getting married, to the love of your life, and you can't let anything get in the way of that.' She cupped Jane's head in her hands, and gave her a quick peck on the forehead.

Jane breathed deeply, she could do this, all that mattered was the love between her and Paul, everything else was periphery. You're an actress damn it, act.

'Alright, let's get this over with then.' Jane's dad held out his arm, and she welcomed the protection it offered, 'all we need to do is get to the registry office, and then you can concentrate on doing the important bit.' He winked at her to ease the tension a bit. Then Peter opened the door.

What hit her first was the noise, just a cacophony of noise, screaming, and the shutters, quickly followed by the blinding flashes of photographers. 

Jane soon came to her senses and looked around, there must have been about 100 people surrounding the door, and making their way up the street. As it was only a 5 minute or so run from to registry office, she supposed a lot of people were going to follow them to the there. 

Peter made his way to the front and, along with Clare, began making a path for her and dad, who had wrapped his arm around her. 

She quickly rushed, along with the rest of her family, into the waiting car, and as she sat down, she could see more clearly the fans in the crowd, mixed in with the photographers, most of them were sobbing wildly, and a few even banged on the car windows, as the chauffeur had to, slowly, draw away from the crowd, to avoid injuring anyone.

'Well, that was certainly something.' Peter said, looking out the window at the multitude of crying young girls.

Jane closed her eyes, to shut out the flashing and faces, and breathed deeply. She focused on the only thing that was important, her marrying Paul. To try and calm herself down, and get herself in the right sort of mood – although she admitted that she didn't exactly know what sort of mood one was meant to be in before one's own wedding, at the moment she was just a bundle of nerves and excitement – she gave herself a brief overview of her relationship with Paul. 

She remembered when they first met, she had been immediately attracted to him, and impressed – and she admitted to herself – slightly surprised at how intelligent he was. They began going steady, although they couldn't really see each other regularly because of his touring, and her work commitments. Although her feelings took a couple of months to develop, when she got them they hit her like nothing she'd ever known before, and this honeymoon period lasted a while. She reminded herself of all the reasons she had fallen in love with him, then the arguments, and drifting apart, it seemed – certainly for a while – as if they wouldn't make it, but now she – they – had been given a second chance, and she was going to grab it by the horns. It may have not been the perfect way to start a marriage, but when is anything in life perfect?

Just as she'd finished calming herself she heard them again, she opened her eyes, and nearly flinched at the sight she saw before her. Hundreds, although it seemed like thousands, even though she was sure that was an exaggeration, of teenagers – mainly girls – crowded the street, screaming and sobbing, police officers were just about managing to contain a single file line up to the building's door, although they seemed to be constantly swaying and buckling under the pressure from the mass of teenagers and the press. 

'Jane.' Peter said, looking her in the eye, 'we need to run, get in the building as quickly as possible, you ready?'

She looked at her parents and Clare briefly before nodding and taking his outstretched hand. 

He quickly catapulted open the car door, and dragged Jane along the pavement and up the steps. Although hardly a dignified sight, Jane was glad to be getting out of this – this mess – as soon as humanly possible. 

She closed her eyes, and tried her hardest to block out the noise, she vaguely felt hands, or maybe books, or pens, hitting her on the back, at this her arm nearly felt pulled out of its socket by the force and speed Peter began pulling her. 

Before she knew it she was inside the doors of the Marylebone Registry Office, she leaned against a post to catch her breath. 'WHAT was that?' She asked.

'Jellybeans and dolls, do you remember the cov-'

'That bloody cover is still causing trouble.' She said, just as her parents and Clare made their way inside the door. 

With all of her family around her, she began walking towards where she knew Paul would be, outside the room in which they were going to be married. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The wedding went quicker than she had expected – used to church weddings, she had rather come to expect the constant interruptions of Bible readings and hymns. 

Jane had insisted they keep most parts traditional, including the vows, although it being a civil service, without any religious references. 

When asked later, Jane would describe it as one of the happiest days of her life, when Paul first saw her, with the look of shock and admiration passing across his face, she knew she'd made the right choice. Surrounded by friends and family she promised to love, cherish and be faithful to Paul, she struggled to keep her emotions in check as she stared into his eyes throughout the ceremony, and he in turn would occasionally wink or make funny faces during the serious moments, to make her laugh.

As she said her final vows, tears overtook her, and she just about managed to make her way through her last vows, before she was crying in earnest. This, this was the moment she'd been thinking, and dreaming of for years, and now it was finally here, after all the trials and tribulations their relationship had endured, they were joined together for the rest of their lives. She barely heard the registrars last words before Paul's lips found hers and a cheer ripped across the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi again, sorry it's been so long. I felt it was a bit rushed, I didn't know quite how to write the end of them getting married, so I hope I did ok, after this we're going to be skipping back to before they got married, and it's going to be a little more Paul-centric. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!


	3. 12/13 July 1968

12th July 1968

Having cooked a full English breakfast together, followed by some 'couple time' just cuddling on the sofa, Paul found himself alone. Jane said she was tired from her long journey, and all the emotions of the day, and had retired to bed, this left Paul, downstairs – with quite the monumental task. Finding everything that belonged to either Franny or Maggie, gathering them up, delivering them, and then 'breaking up' with them. Something which he'd never been good at, he preferred just to let things peter out, he'd never been good at the confrontational side of break-ups, but he was going to have to start learning fast. 

He'd never minded playing the field while Jane and he were just dating, he could convince himself that it was nothing serious, a perfectly open relationship, however getting married was another thing entirely. 

He could commit to a long term, settled, serious relationship with Jane, the thing that had always been holding him back before was Jane's commitment to her work, firstly, but most important – and the real undercurrent in that concern – was that he wasn't sure if the future he imagined for himself, was the one Jane wanted. He wanted a busy, bustling home, with lots of kids mucking around, but whenever he talked to Jane about having children – even after marriage – it always seemed to be off, somewhere in the distant future. She hadn't wanted to have kids straight after they got married, or even seemingly a couple of years after, she didn't seem to understand that with all the strain in the band – and he admitted a bit of maturing that led him to actually want a family and to settle down – he wanted a family now, not as some off-distance possibility. That's why he kept his options open really, that's why he started up with – shit, Linda. He hadn't thought of that, although they hadn't really, technically been dating, and Linda was a free spirit, but still. 

He groaned, as he packed Franny's shoes, and Maggie's jacket into separate bags, just look at the mess he'd got himself into. He supposed he would have to phone her, even if just to let her know he was getting married. 3 women on the go – well four if you counted Jane – at once, all at least semi-serious. 

He admitted to himself that he'd got sort of, well bored, of the single life, that Jane constantly being out of town on acting assignments had offered him – sure it had been exciting at first – but the magic quickly wore off. Jane getting pregnant couldn't really have come at a more opportune time.

He made his way into the living room to find Franny's scattered script, and any remnants left of Maggie. Franny's script – or whatever it was – had been a close call, along with a few of Maggie's clothes, but Paul had been able to quickly explain them away. 

When Jane had come storming into the kitchen, where he was clearing up the plates – which he admitted was a rarity for him, yet another thing that he was going to have to change when they got married – and waved them, accusingly in his face, he gently calmed her, and told her that Franny's script was leftover stuff from Apple which he was doing a last minute inspection on, and that Maggie's stuff had accidentally been left after a little do with some friends. He had felt a bit guilty for lying, but it's not as if Jane didn't have any idea what was going on, she just didn't want to be confronted with it in her home. Which it still felt slightly weird to refer to it as hers considering the little time she'd spent there recently, but he supposed a lot of things were going to have to change now that they were getting married.

Which led Paul to thinking about her acting career, the only blemish in a seemingly otherwise perfect relationship. Paul hadn't mentioned it since she returned – even though he didn't know whether she'd actually quit her job in Bristol or not – mainly because Jane hadn't, and she'd been so fragile that he hadn't wanted to upset her. However he still couldn't see how it was going to work with a baby in the house, he had his Beatles commitments, long hours in the studio, business meetings, press conferences, filming's – while Jane's shoots or stage tours could take months, only last year she'd been away in America for 5 months – he didn't want his child brought up by a nanny, a stranger to their parents. And it was hardly like actors and musicians had compatible hours either.

But he shoved this thought away as he checked the large grandfather clock against the wall – 8:30 pm – he could think about this later, he was rather sure that they would argue about it later as well, but now was the time to focus on the baby and trying to build a married life together, what with all the chaos that was going on with the Beatles, it was a welcome release. 

After all the excitement of the day, in numerous ways, he decided to make his way up to bed and join Jane – he only really wanted to be with her at the moment, to comfort her, and in turn be comforted by her. He'd practically finished his tidying up job, so he discreetly stuffed the two brimming bags into a cupboard under the stairs, before making his way up the stairs.

As he quietly opened the door to their bedroom, he noticed the usually boisterous Martha, lying by Jane's feet on the bed. Jane was still – too still – he realised that she was awake as soon as he'd entered the room, she was lying on top of the duvet covers, something she never did, facing away from him and barely moving an inch – not even to breathe. He'd known her for too long to be fooled by it.

He sighed loudly, she was ignoring him, and he knew why, she was undoubtedly worried about his reaction, or that they would start arguing, over – well it didn't take much these days. In truth he was rather shattered that this was the point their relationship had got to, and Paul made a promise to himself that night, to be better – to be a better man, and to work harder at their relationship – not only for the baby, but also for them, for the five years that they had spent together. No more fooling around, no more distractions, be it work or otherwise. 

After he'd finished getting changed out of his clothes and into some boxers, he softly made his way over to Jane's side of the bed. He kneeled down to study her face, she may be a great actress on stage, but she could never lie effectively to Paul, however she was sticking to her artifice of pretending to be asleep. 

He glanced over towards Martha, lying at the foot of the bed and considered moving her, Jane rarely allowed Martha to stay on the bed, but eventually decided against it. Instead he tenderly picked Jane up, and placed her under the covers – she'd left the window open, and he didn't particularly want her to get cold. Then he made his way into the bed, pulling his arm around her waist, and spooning her, giving her soft kisses down her neck, she snuggled into his touch, and for a while they just lay there, not saying a word, just enjoying the comfort of each other. 

Paul began rubbing his hand gently over her belly, feeling the ever so slight incline between her hips, in there lay their hope, and their future, and they both drifted off to sleep entangled in one another.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13th July 1968

 

Paul woke up to an empty bed. Jane and Martha were both missing. He groaned and rolled over to inspect his bed-side clock. It loudly proclaimed 11:30am, already?

He made his way downstairs, into the kitchen towards the sound of Jane's voice. When she noticed his appearance in the doorway Jane quickly began re-heating the porridge she had made for him. All the while remaining as close as possible to the phone hook, to which she was vigorously talking to the person on the other end.

'Well I'm sorry, but it just cannot be avoided, you'll have to use the understudy – or better yet cast someone totally new, the show doesn't begin until October, I have given you enough notice.'

Jane motioned Paul over to his now piping hot porridge, before rolling her eyes playfully at the droning's of the man on the other side of the line.

'As I've already informed you, it is a private family emergency. There is simply no way I can perform in that time. And that is final, I am sorry for the inconvenience but there is nothing that can be done. – Yes well I was looking forward to doing the play as well, but if that is all, I have other matters to attend to, I am sorry, but goodbye.'

Jane sat down with Paul at the small breakfast table in the kitchen, who was shovelling the porridge into his mouth, 'Well that was a palaver, I'd been on the phone with him for 10 minutes before you came in, just could not take no for an answer. I was just cancelling my performance for Look Back in Anger – on the stage.' 

Paul nodded his head, and waited quietly for her to continue, he could sense it was hardly the moment to butt in with a comment on her career, indeed she looked rather upset.

'It was meant to be the first uncensored version of it staged, and well, too late to worry about that now isn't it? I've already cancelled 'Summer', now all that's left to do is Somewhere in the Crowd. I mean there is no way I could perform – not in my condition – and certainly not every night without fail even when I'm, what? 6 months pregnant, is there?' Jane looked pensively off into the distant, already resigned to her fate, and being a deeply practical person she was trying to force herself not to think too much, and just get on with the position she'd been placed in.

'What are you doing today?' Jane questioned.

'Oh I've got to head into Apple Headquarters to help with the move, got some stuff to take there and sort through as well, but apart from that the day's free. I should be back not too long after lunch, and then we can do something together?' Paul asked, and Jane nodded in acquiescence, obviously still upset about her having to cancel performances in a career she had worked so hard to cultivate.

Paul put his arm around her and whispered some reassurances in her ear, before finishing his breakfast and making his way towards the hallway. Leaving Jane the job of finishing cancelling her appearances. 

He hauled the bags out of the cupboard and carried them out of the front door, into his green DB6, in the process having to herd an exuberant Martha back into the house, to stop her from trying to escape with him.

He gave a brief nod to the Apple Scruffs, and went to sign a couple of the Lady Madonna/Inner Light single. After he'd finished signing, a few of the newer faces left, and he was approached by Di and a couple of her friends – who he'd known in passing for a couple of years now.

'That American bird you had with you yesterday was in an awful mood when she left.'

'Oh was she?' Paul asked, keeping his voice down, and looking over his shoulder, paranoid that Jane might hear. 

'Yeah, swearing and everything, you should get rid of 'er, she's dead rude.'

'That's what I'm planning to do Di, you know Jane and I are engaged, and y'know, it's time to get serious. But I'd appreciate if you could keep mum about it, Jane doesn't know, and well it's all going to be in the past.' He said quietly, thankful that after signing the singles, only a few of the regulars were left, he could generally rely on them. 

'Of course not, I'm no grass, and it's not like she'd believe me if I did tell her is it?'

'Great, thanks luv, when I get back I'll bring out some hot chocolates, it's quite chilly today.'

Paul got into his car and slowly made his way through the gates, and then swiftly on to the place Franny was staying at in London.

As he approached the little flat she was temporarily living in, he felt a pit in his stomach, he wasn't exactly looking forward to this. Out of all the birds he was currently 'seeing' Franny was the least stable – and the most likely to take things badly, but it was hardly as if he hadn't brought it upon himself. 

He parked in the most well-lit area he could find and decided, rather cowardly he admitted, to not stay too long. He quickly grabbed her stuff out of the boot, and made his way to her flat, and before he knew it he was facing her door, 2B. He knocked, and very quickly the door was unfastened and whipped open.

'You.' 

'Uh, yeah.' Paul paused, unsure of what to say, in the face of a calm, but obviously angry Francie. 'Can I come in, I've got some shoes, and some other stuff to drop off.'

Francie stared at him for several moments, refusing to cede ground, before – eventually – letting him in. 

As he found an appropriate place to deposit her belongings, he was immediately questioned by Francie.

'So what's going to happen to me now?' She demanded.

'Well I presumed you'd just continue working for Derek, why don't you want to?' Paul asked, trying to keep his tone light, and knowing full well that he deserved every bit of the interrogation to come.

'You're not going to get rid of me then?' Francie said, bitingly.

'Why would I do that? Look Franny, we're both adults, you knew what you were getting into when you started a relationship with me, I made it clear I was taken – we both knew it wasn't serious.'

'That's hardly the point – you used me.' Francie glared, grabbing her script from the table, and waving it into his face.

'As you used me. You've got a job from Apple, and a possibility of your script being seen – you pursued me, not the other way around.'

Francie turned round and glared at him, he felt a little guilty, so avoided her gaze – he could try to be a bit more conciliatory, he was breaking up with her after all.

'Don't play the fucking victim card Paul, we both know you wanted this just as much as I did.'

Debatable, Paul thought, but bit his lip to stop himself from saying anything too horrible, 'Look luv, I'm sorry if this didn't work out the way you wanted it to, and that you're upset, but, y'know that's just the way it has to be. Let's just part on good terms, and, y'know, put an end to this.'

However it didn't put an end to it, Francie was still upset – and that upset manifested itself as anger – quite significant anger as it turned out, there was lots of yelling, and a few threats to his manhood thrown in for good measure, until finally the crux of the conversation fell upon them. 

'So what about my script, huh, Mr. Big Man.' Francie asked mockingly.

Paul let out a sigh of annoyance, 'I made it clear that that wasn't really in my jurisdiction Franny. You've got to go through the procedures, if Apple like it – they'll pick it up.'

'It's your fucking company Paul!'

'Not exclusively, I only have ¼ of a say, and you should know that.'

Francie put down her script, which she'd been waving, rather threateningly, in Paul's face, before quickly changing gear.

'So why are you ending it like this, huh? 24 hours ago we were fucking like bunnies, and suddenly here you are coming round to break up with me? It doesn't make sense.'

'Maybe I've just figured out my priorities.' Paul, shrugged wanting to shift away from this line of questioning.

'No this has got something to do with that posh twat of yours.'

Paul frowned, 'Don't call her that.'

'You've set a date haven't you?'

Paul shifted and fidgeted with his lapels before nodding assent.

'Get out.'

'What?'

'I said get out, get the fuck out of my house Paul.' Francie yelled.

Paul quickly complied, rushing out of her flat before she fulfilled any of her threats, and rather thankful that the whole ordeal was over. 

He went through the same routine with Maggie, going over to her place and doing a bit of explaining, except Maggie – cool bird that she was – took it far better, sure she seemed a little put out, but they'd both been aware of the parameters of their relationship – he'd been under no illusion that she'd only been seeing him, either – and they parted on good terms.

Only Linda left, one he wasn't looking forward too, he felt they'd built a genuine connection, the only one, he'd even suggested that she come and visit London again.

He drove, from Maggie's house, and made his way towards the Apple building – so at least he felt he was being slightly truthful to Jane, it was true that they were moving and so did require a bit of his help - whisked through the reception, and up towards Peter Brown's office. 

 

He knocked on the door, and it was quickly opened to produce Jane's brothers' face staring back at him, the perceptive blue eyes, and Asher bright red hair – he wondered briefly if he and Jane's child would share this trait – before coming back to the problem in hand, he needed some room to talk privately over the phone, that was the whole reason for coming to Pete's office, but it would be more than tricky with the other Peter in the way. 

Although he knew that Jane's brother was aware of his indiscretions, you couldn't be in their social group and not really, everyone was straying from their partners, to be confronted by it though, was another thing entirely. However, they shared a certain code, Paul had certainly been more than kind to him – he admitted, for mainly cynical reasons, Jane had been completely thrilled, and grateful even, for so furthering her brother's career, and well, his cast-offs needed to go somewhere – and the same straying could be said for Peter. 

'Right, Peter, I just need to use Pete's phone for something, private you see.' He gestured slightly, and Peter grudgingly moved away from the door.

'Ah, I was just leaving anyway Paul, got a meeting with some talent. Bird is it?' He asked on his way out.

'Oh, aye.' Paul said, rubbing the back of his head rather bashfully, 'how'd you know.'

Peter laughed loudly, 'you can't work around here and not know, besides, Jane's been gone for a couple of weeks, so I sort of presumed you know.'

It dawned on Paul that he wasn't aware of the change – well it wasn't really a change considering they had already been engaged, rather renewed commitment – in their relationship. Jane had come home so quickly, almost too quickly for him to handle, and she hadn't wanted to face her family yet, said she just wanted some time alone with Paul, to deal with the news.

'I'm ending it, you know.' 

Peter raised an eyebrow, looking a tad confused as to why he was choosing to confide in him.

'Look, I thought you'd want to know, no point in not tellin' yeh really. Jane and I are engaged-'

'Well we already knew that!'

'No I mean we've decided to get married – soon. If you're auditioning with Neil, or see the other Pete around could you let him know, we might as well start organising it. Look Jane'll want to explain, could you not tell your parents yet, as well.'

'Well it's good you're finally going through with it, I don't like long engagements, rather pointless, if you're going to do it, just do it I say, but anyway yeah I will. Good luck then, guess I'll see you sooner, rather than later.'

'Ta.' Paul said, and shut the door on his retreating figure. He made his way over to the phone, before realising that he'd forgotten, in his hurry to get out of the house, to pick up Lin's number. He cursed quietly, before punching in the number from memory, and hoping he got it right – he did.

He was answered by an operator, and had to wait several minutes before he was handed over to Linda, the normally completely chill and relaxed Linda sounded a little breathless when she came to the phone.

'Paul? Are you still there?' She asked, in her American drawl, so different from anything he was used to.

'Yes, I'm still here, sorry love, are you ok? You sound a bit out of breath.'

'Yeah,' she replied, 'I got the message you'd called at the bottom of the apartment block, so I had to run up to make the call.'

Paul winced, he didn't quite know how he was going to do this, he had deliberately put off planning out what he was going to say, it was easier with the others he was less, less – attached. 

'Look Linda.' He decided to be direct, as she couldn't see his facial expression there was little point in prevaricating – she'd always said she hated it anyway – what was the point in letting her continue to think this was one of their normal conversations, of letting her hold out hope for what could have been? Far better a clean break. He searched around for how to phrase it delicately, didn't want to make it seem as if it – she – didn't matter at all to him, that she was just some plaything to be left.

'We- I've enjoyed spending time with you – but – well - it's time for me to settle down, I'm getting married to Jane.'

'Oh.' There was a palpable pause. 

'I know we- we talked of spending some more time together, but I've got to think about-' he paused, before continuing on, he trusted Linda – knew she wasn't the type of bird to kiss and tell – and if anybody would understand about responsibility of parenthood it would be her, 'Jane's pregnant, and I've got to think about my baby.'

He waited for a response, only hearing the crackle of the receiver for several moments.

'Well it's good you're taking your responsibilities as a new parent seriously, that's more important, I understand. It's just-. Good luck, it's a shame it wasn't meant to be.' She sounded wistful, and slightly forlorn, 'goodbye Paul, I lo-enjoyed our brief time.' And with that she put down the phone.

Paul stared at it, shocked. He truly didn't know what to think, one thing's for sure he hadn't expected her to hang up on him, had he expected tears? No, recriminations maybe. He sighed and put the phone down onto the latch, he'd certainly expected the conversation to go on longer than it had, which left him with some time to spare, so he decided to go downstairs, and start dealing with getting the ball rolling for the wedding. 

He half wanted to send some kind of goodwill gesture, her kid seemed good, but decided against it, not only did birds tend to think you were treating them like a prostitute if you did that, but he also decided a clean break was needed. He'd just forget about it, put the past where it belonged so he could begin a new life with Jane. A life where they could both forget the mistakes of the past, and move on, to start a better life for their child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This is from Paul's PoV, I felt I just had to address his cheating, and resolve it, so this chapter's not particularly fluffy, as there were quite a few things that needed to be dealt with. Anyway I tried to be as fair as possible to everyone in this chap, and use a bit of 60s slang, I did keep switching between Francie and Franny as Paul did call her that, but even else seems to call her Francie so I hope that wasn't confusing, I hope you enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hi everyone, I've tried to make this as realistic as possible, so I have to address Paul's cheating. Also because of the title, it's going to be a little jumpy in time, and not chronological, but not too drastically, only a couple of weeks at most. This plot bunny just wouldn't get out of my head until I had written it, but I'm enjoying writing it a lot actually! I think it's going to end up being a rather long story, both chapter wise and the amount of time covered, it'll probably go up to either the mid-1970s, or the early 1980s, I haven't quite decided yet. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!


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